"This is just my speculation. We need to dig deeper to understand the full picture."
Li Xun nodded: "However, before that, I hope Tang Hao's whereabouts don't come from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. After all, quite a few Spirit Hall branch halls have been destroyed in recent years."
Qian Renxue frowned upon hearing this, pondered for a moment, and then said thoughtfully: "I will find time to ask my grandfather for clarification. But if nothing is found, I hope you can inform me about Tang Hao's situation.
I can assure you that Tang Hao won't know his information came from your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."
Li Xun nodded perfunctorily, then helped Qian Renxue with some work before taking his leave.
His purpose for this trip had been achieved, and he couldn't say more if necessary. After all, it was the unspoken understanding between Qiandao Liu and Bibidong, something Qian Renxue would have to discover on her own.
Presumably, Master Xiaogang had already arrived in Spirit City. It was time to begin.
Spirit City, as the dream destination for most Soul Masters, was bustling with people year-round, and many businesses had set up shop here to cater to Soul Masters.
Based on this economic foundation, the city's infrastructure had greatly improved in recent years, and the cost of living was significantly higher compared to other regions.
However, Yu Xiaogang had no interest in experiencing the changes in Spirit City. As soon as he got off the carriage, he headed straight for the Pope's Hall.
The Pope's Hall, as the core area of the Spirit Hall and a pilgrimage site for many Soul Masters, had transformed over the past few decades from a purely religious building.
It had become more sacred and served as a more authoritative central hub, so security here was very tight. To prevent unauthorized access, entry and exit now required appropriate permissions.
As Yu Xiaogang approached the entrance of the Pope's Hall, he was stopped by the guards as a suspicious individual.
"Halt, please show your pass or identification token," the Pope's Hall guard extended his hand towards Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang wasn't surprised by this. With a cold expression, he took out the Papal Token held by Yu Yuanzhen, showed it to the guard, and prepared to enter.
The two guards exchanged glances and then stopped Yu Xiaogang: "Please wait a moment. We've never seen this token before and need to verify it again."
Yu Xiaogang was taken aback, giving the two guards a surprised look before saying arrogantly: "As guards of the Pope's Hall, you don't even recognize the Papal Token? I wonder how you perform your duties."
"That's none of your concern, but we must perform our duties, so please cooperate," the two guards' previously friendly expressions turned serious.
"Go ahead and take a look, but I'm afraid you might be scared out of your wits," Yu Xiaogang sneered, sensing the change in their demeanor, and tossed the Papal Token over.
The guard hurriedly caught it carefully, then examined it with the other guard.
After a while, one of the guards cautiously said to Yu Xiaogang: "Your token looks very much like the legendary Papal Token, but we can't verify its authenticity since we've never seen it before. Forgive my boldness, but may I ask which Title Douluo from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School or the Blue Lightning Tyrant School you are?"
Yu Xiaogang frowned, feeling slightly uncomfortable: "Seeing the Papal Token is like seeing the Pope. Why should I need to reveal my identity to you?"
Seeing that Yu Xiaogang seemed somewhat angry, the guard quickly smiled and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture. "Your Excellency, please don't be upset. You must consider our duties as well. To be honest, there have been too many counterfeit tokens in recent years, and one incident even caused a major disturbance."
"For this reason, we have to be cautious. It's a self-preservation measure, after all. If you were to do something that harms the Spirit Hall, we would also be held accountable."
Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath upon hearing this. He wanted to lash out, but the guard's reasoning was sound, and he couldn't find a reason to vent his anger.
"My name is Yu Xiaogang, the son of Yu Yuanzhen, the current sect leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant School," Yu Xiaogang said, his expression somewhat dazed.
It had been many years since he had identified himself as Yu Yuanzhen's son, and he never expected to bring it up again at the gates of Spirit City.
But there was no other choice. After all, he couldn't impersonate Ning Fengzhi or Yu Yuanzhen, as that would easily be exposed and lead to unnecessary trouble.
"So you are the son of Thunder Coronet, my apologies for the oversight," the guard said respectfully, cupping his hands toward the upper side. Then, as if remembering something, he frowned. "But how come I've never heard of your name before?"
Yu Xiaogang's face stiffened. "Hmph! That's because I haven't been active on the continent in recent years. Besides, you look to be only in your thirties, so it's normal that you wouldn't know."
The guard nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. However, even so, you'll still need to demonstrate the unique Martial Soul of the Blue Lightning Tyrant School. That way, I can report back properly, as your information is incomplete."
"What do you mean by this? You've been asking all sorts of questions since the beginning. Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?"
Yu Xiaogang, unable to contain his long-suppressed anger any longer, pointed at the two guards. "Do you know what this token represents? I warn you, if you continue to obstruct me, you'll face consequences."
"Senior, what do you mean by that? We're merely fulfilling our duties," the guard replied calmly, unfazed by Yu Xiaogang's outburst. "Your reluctance to prove your identity is highly suspicious. Shouldn't we investigate further?"
Yu Xiaogang was left even more furious by the guard's retort. Just as he was about to say something, an elderly man approached from the side.
"Hello, please present your token or identification," the guard quickly stopped the old man.
"I am the Cardinal of the Spirit Hall's Branch Hall in Star Luo's Gengxin City, here to report on my duties," the old man said, handing over his token. Then, six Spirit Rings appeared at his feet one after another.
The guard immediately saluted and respectfully returned the token, gesturing for the old man to enter.
Yu Xiaogang, witnessing this scene, felt his anger momentarily freeze. He stared blankly as the old man entered the Pope's Hall.
"You see? It's not that we're deliberately making things difficult for you. Even a Cardinal of such stature must prove his identity before entering," the guard said with a light cough. "A token alone is far from enough."
Yu Xiaogang's expression turned extremely grim. Naturally, he didn't want to reveal his Martial Soul and Spirit Rings, but now that he was stopped at the gate, he couldn't enter the Pope's Hall with just the Papal Token if he couldn't prove his identity.
Thinking about Xiao San's personality, if he hadn't inquired about the cultivation method for Twin Spirits, this child would likely have attempted it despite knowing the risks.
Yu Xiaogang slowly closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently. A pig-like creature appeared, accompanied by two yellow Spirit Rings: "I am indeed the son of Yu Yuanzhen, which you should be able to verify."
"Level 20?" Not only were the two guards at the door stunned, but even the guards stationed nearby were taken aback.
"Sir, it's not that I don't believe you, but your Soul Power level clearly doesn't match the Papal Token. While I can't definitively say it's a fake, I can consult my superior."
The guard pocketed the Papal Token: "Please remain here unless absolutely necessary, to avoid any unnecessary trouble."
With that, the guard headed towards the Pope's Hall.
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang retracted his Martial Soul and slowly opened his eyes.
He naturally had no intention of leaving. Not only that, but he also planned to discuss with Bibidong the chaos of randomly stopping people at the entrance of the Spirit Hall.
Moreover, it had only been a few years, and these guards no longer recognized the Papal Token. Truly, the decay was extreme.